Village — Shelley Spector

A pre-workshop discussion in Brooklyn about the roots of the project.

Fold the fabric evenly in half on the short fold. The good side of the fabric should be on the inside. Hand or machine sew a ¼” seam along the edge opposite to the fold. (Philadelphia)

Hand sew a running stitch all the way around the circumference of one open side, ½” from the edge and ½” apart. Stop just before you get to the first stitch. (Costa Rica)

Pull tightly, careful not to rip the thread and sew and knot the closure at the top. (Montreal)

The workshop lasts about an hour and a half. Experience not necessary. (Chicago)

Installation view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Installation in the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.

Installation at Room and Board, Brooklyn.

Installation at the Ghostship in Oakland, CA.

Village

2015- Present

Village is inspired by the tomato shaped pin-cushion and its Victorian roots as a symbol of hope at new beginnings. Spector leads workshops on how to make a pin cushion, and the participants’ creations are then added to an expanding installation. At the closing of its first exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2015, Spector began to travel with the project and engage new collaborators. All of the materials come from deconstructed clothing and textile goods.

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